Tyrant

by James K

  After-ithe-ireferees-inoticed-ithat-ithe-itwo-icombat-imagicians-iwere-iready,-ithey-isignaled-ithe-istart-iof-ithe-ibattle.-iA-iwhistle-iwas-iblown-ialongside-ithe-ireferees-iannouncement.

  Their-iMana-iShell-iwas-iimmediately-iactivated.-iRay-iimmediately-iused-ia-iField-iMagic-ito-imake-ithe-ienvironment-iin-ifavor-ifor-ihim.-i

  "Freezing-iMine-iField!"

  This-imagic-ispell-iwas-iunique-ito-ithe-imana-iartifact-imade-iby-iRoss.-iAlthough-iit-iwasn't-ias-ipowerful-ias-ia-iDomain-iMagic,-iit-icould-istill-iaffect-ithe-ienvironment-ito-imake-iit-ito-iyour-iadvantage.-i

  Lauren-ididn't-istay-iidle,-ishe-istrengthened-iher-iMana-iShell.-iShe-ididn't-ibother-istruggling-ito-ifight-ifor-ibetter-ienvironment,-ialthough-iher-imobility-iwas-ilessened-idue-ito-ithe-iField-iMagic-ithat-iRay-icasted,-ishe-idecided-ito-imake-ione-ipure-iand-ipowerful-iattack-iat-iRay-ito-idestroy-ihis-iMana-iShell.-i

  After-iall,-ieven-iif-ithe-ifield-iwas-ito-iyour-iadvantage,-ithe-iaim-iof-ithe-ibattle-iwere-istill-ito-idestroy-ithe-iMana-iShell-iprotecting-iyour-ibody.-i

  The-istage-iwas-ialmost-ifilled-iwith-iice-iand-iRay's-imana-ipool-idecrease-iby-ia-ilarge-ichunk.-iHe-inoticed-iLauren-idefending-iher-iposition-iand-imade-ian-iattack.

  'It-iwould-inow-ibe-idifficult-ifor-iher-ito-icast-iWood-iElement-ispell.-iThen-iher-iplan-inow-ishould-ibe-iattacking-imy-iMana-iShell-ithinking-ithat-ithe-iField-iMagic-iis-ijust-isome-inormal-ifrost-ito-iaffect-imobility-iand-ideal-isome-ismall-idamage-iwhen-icasted.'

  "Fire-iBlast!"

  Lauren-istepped-ion-ithe-iice-ifield-ito-igain-isome-icloser-idistance-iand-ihas-ithrown-iher-iGrade-i2-imagic-ispell.-iShe-iknows-ithat-ithis-ispell-iwon't-ibe-iaffected-iby-ithe-iGrade-i1-ifield-imagic.-iApparently,-ieven-ithough-ishe-iwas-iknown-ito-iher-iWood-iElement-ispell,-ishe-iwanted-ito-isurprise-ithem-ithat-ishe-ican-ialso-ibe-ia-iversatile-imagician.

  "Archon-i---iFire-iArrow"

  Everyone-iwas-isurprised-iabout-ithis-ispell-ithat-iRay-ihas-ithrown-ito-imatch-ithe-iGrade-i2-iFire-iBlast-iSpell.-iLauren-ifrowned-iat-ithis,-iit-iwas-iobvious-ithat-ian-iexclusive-iskill-iof-ia-imana-iartifact-iespecially-ithose-ithat-ireaches-iGrade-i2-iof-ilevel-iwould-ibe-istronger-ithan-iany-istandard-imagic-ispell.-iBut-inow,-iRay-ieven-iused-ia-ismall-iFire-iArrow-ito-icontend-iagainst-ithe-imassive-ifire-ithrown-itoward-ihim.-i

  She-imight-iunderstood-iif-ihe-ihas-ithrown-ian-iArchon's-iWater-iBubble-ispell-ibut-ishe-icouldn't-icomprehend-ithis-ipitiful-iFire-iArrow.-iThis-imade-iher-ia-ibit-iworried-isince-ishe-ifelt-ithat-iher-iopponent-iis-iplanning-isomething.-i

  But-isince-ithis-ihappened-iso-ifast,-ithey-ino-ilonger-ihave-ienough-itime-ito-ithink-iand-ithe-itwo-imagic-ispell-icollided...-ior-inot.

  As-isoon-ias-ithe-itwo-ispell-ineared-ieach-iother,-ithe-iFire-iArrow-iactually-imanaged-ito-ibarely-idodge-ithe-iFire-iBlast-iand-iproceeded-ito-ihit-iLauren-iMana-iShell-iinstead.-i

  She-ididn't-igave-iup-iher-icontrol-ion-ithe-iFire-iBlast-ias-ishe-ialready-icasted-ia-idefensive-imagic-ispell-ito-iprotect-iher-ia-iwhile-iago.-iAlso,-ishe-iwas-iconfident-ithat-ieven-iwith-ijust-iher-istandard-iMana-iShell,-iit-iwould-inot-ireceive-iany-isignificant-idamage-ifrom-ia-istandard-imagic-iso-ishe-idecided-ito-iignore-iit.

  As-isoon-ias-ithe-iFire-iBlast-ineared-iRay,-ihe-itried-ito-idodge-ion-ithe-iside.

  "That's-ifutile!"

  It's-inot-ieasy-ito-iget-iaway-ifrom-ia-iGrade-i2-ispell-icontrolled-iby-ithe-icaster.-iLauren-icontrolled-ithe-iFire-iBlast-ibut-iRay-ialready-icasted-ianother-ispell,-iit-iwasn't-ito-idefend-ihimself-ibut-iwas-iaimed-ito-iLauren.-i

  "Archon-i---iIce-iSpikes"

  As-isoon-ias-ithe-iFire-iArrow-ihits-iLauren's-idefenses,-ithe-icollision-imade-ia-ibright-iexplosion-iblinding-iher-iin-ifew-imoment.-iAfter-inoticing-ithis,-iRay-iused-ia-istandard-imagic-ispell-iIce-iSpikes.-iIf-ithe-iIce-iSpikes-iwere-icasted-iwithout-ithe-iFreezing-iMine-iField-ihe-icould-ionly-isummon-ione-imagic-ispell,-ibut-itogether-iwith-ithe-ifield-imagic,-ithere-iare-isix-iice-ispikes-icreated-iand-idestroyed-iLauren's-iMana-iShell.

  As-isoon-ias-iher-iMana-iShell-iwas-idestroyed,-ithe-iFire-iBlast-ilost-icontrol-iand-icould-inow-ibe-ieasily-idodged.

  "Eh?"

  Ray-iwas-iactually-isurprised-ithat-ihe-ialready-iwon.

  'I-ihaven't-ieven-iused-ithe-iMines-iin-ithe-ifield.-iOh-iwell,-ithat's-ia-igood-ithing-iI-iguess.'

  The-iFreezing-iMine-iField-iwas-ian-ialtered-imagic-ispell-imade-iby-iRoss.-iHe-iwas-iknown-iin-ihis-iwide-irange-iof-iknowledge-ion-imana-iartifact-ibut-inot-iin-icreativity.-iWilliam's-iappearance-ipumped-ihim-iup-ito-icreate-isomething-iunique-iin-iall-ihis-imana-iartifact-iinstead-iof-ijust-icopying-ithe-imana-ispells-ithey-ilearned.

  Of-icourse,-ihe-iknows-ihis-ilimits-ithat's-iwhy-iaside-ifrom-ithe-iMines-iin-ithe-iFreezing-iField.-iHe-ionly-ialtered-ithe-iFire-iArrow-ito-ihave-iexplosion-ispell-itied-ion-iit.-iSince-ithat-iwas-ijust-ian-iArchon-ispell,-ihe-ieasily-isucceeded-icreating-ithat-icombo-ispell-ibut-istill-ifailing-ito-ido-iso-iwith-ihigher-ilevel-ispells.

  ***

  "Oh.-iNot-ibad!"

  William-ipraised-iRoss-ia-ilittle-iabout-ihis-icreation.-iHe-iwasn't-iaware-iabout-ithe-ispecifics-iof-ithe-imana-iartifact-ithey-imade-ifor-itheir-ifighter-ijust-ilike-ihow-iWilliam-ihas-isurprises-ion-ithe-imana-iartifact-ithat-iShirley-iwill-ibe-iusing.

  But-iwith-ithis-ibattle,-ithey-ihave-isomehow-igrasp-itheir-iclassmate's-iability-iin-icreating-imana-iartifact.-i

  "I-inoticed-ithat-ithere-iis-isomething-iunique-ion-ithe-iFreezing-iField-ithat-iRay-icasted.-iOr-iwas-iit-ireally-ithe-iField-iMagic-iI-iknow?"

  Tracy-iasked-iRoss-iabout-ito-iconfirm-iher-iobservation.-i

  "I've-ialtered-iit-ia-ibit."

  Ross-isaid-ismilingly-ias-ihe-ifixed-ihis-ionyx-iblack-ihair-ithat-iis-iblocking-ihis-ieyes.-iIt-ican-ibe-iseen-ithat-ihe-iwas-iproud-iof-ihis-iwork.

  ***

  Alphonse-iand-iLina-ientered-ithe-istage-iand-ifought-itogether-iagainst-ithe-iHoneysuckle's-iduo.-iThey-ieasily-idefeated-ithem-iwith-iTracy's-imana-iartifact.-iHer-iartifacts-iwere-iknown-ifor-iit's-istability-iand-ifurther-ienhancements-iin-imagic-icasting-ispeed.-iWith-iquick-icasting,-ithey-icould-ieasily-imove-ione-istep-iahead-iwith-itheir-iopponent.

  After-ithe-ifield-iwas-icleaned,-iShirley-iwent-ito-ithe-istage-iwith-ithe-ithree-imana-iartifact-imade-iby-iWilliam.-i

  She-iwore-ia-isilver-inecklace-iwith-iblue-igem-ias-iit's-ipendant.-iThis-imana-iartifact-iwas-ipartnered-iby-ia-iring-iwith-ismall-iblue-igem-isparkling-iwith-ibeauty-ion-iher-ileft-iring-ifinger.-iIt-ican-ibe-iseen-ithat-iWilliam-iworked-ihard-ion-iit's-iaesthetics-itoo.-iThe-idesigns-iwere-isuperb-ithat-iShirley-ireally-iloved-ito-iown-ithis-imana-iartifact.-i

  Her-ilast-imana-iartifact-iis-ishaped-ias-ia-igun.-iBut-iof-icourse,-ithere-iisn't-iany-ibullet-ion-iit-iand-iwas-ionly-idesigned-ias-isuch.

  ###-iChapter-i57-i--iShirley

  The-ifirst-itwo-ifight-iagainst-iHoneysuckle-iearned-ithem-i2-iwins-iand-iif-iShirley-iwon-iher-ifight-ithis-itime,-ithey'll-ibe-iable-ito-iget-itheir-ifirst-ivictory-iin-ithe-i11-imatches-ithey-ihave-ito-ifight.

  She-ibriefly-iglanced-iat-iher-iopponent-iand-iconfirmed-ishe'll-ibe-ifighting-isomeone-ithey've-istudied-ibut-iit-idoesn't-imatter,-iWilliam-imade-iher-ian-ioriginal-imana-iartifact-ithat-icould-iprobably-idefeat-ialmost-iall-iher-iopponent-idepending-ion-ihow-ishe-iutilized-iit.-i

  The-inecklace-iand-iring-ithat-ihe-imade-ifor-iher-imostly-icontained-idefensive-imagic-ispells-ibut-ithe-igun-ior-i'Sonic-iGun'-ishe-ihas-iis-ia-idifferent-istory.-iIt-ipossess-ihigh-ioffensive-ipower-ienough-ito-iincapacitate-imost-imagicians.-iFor-isafety-ipurposes,-iWilliam-ieven-ilimited-ithe-ipower-iit-ipossess-ito-iavoid-iunnecessary-iinjuries-iit-imay-icause-ito-iother-istudents.-i

  "Leonhearts's-iShirley-ivs-iHoneysuckle's-iAmber"

  As-isoon-ias-ithe-ibattle-istarted-iand-iMana-iShells-iwas-iactivated-iby-iboth-iparticipants.-iShirley's-iopponent-iquickly-iactivated-iher-ibrooch-iwhich-iis-iher-imana-iartifact-iand-isummoned-ia-iwater-ispell-ito-iattack-iher.-i

  "Royal-i---iWater-iViper!"

  A-ilarge-iwinged-isn
ake-ihaving-i10-imeters-iof-iwingspan-iand-iall-imade-iof-iwater-ipounced-iover-iShirley-iin-ian-iattempt-ito-idestroy-iher-iMana-iShell.-iThe-iviper-iopen-iit's-imouth-iwith-isharp-ifangs-iand-ibit-ithe-iMana-iShell.

  "Distortion-iWave!"

  Whooooosshh!!

  Shirley-iactivated-ithe-iring-ion-iher-ileft-ifinger-iand-iit's-iexclusive-imagic-ispell-iactivated,-ithe-iDistortion-iWave-idissipated-ithe-iWater-iViper-ithat-iher-iopponent-iactivated.-iOnly-ia-ipool-iof-iwater-iremained-ion-ithe-istage-iand-ivanished-iafter-ia-ifew-imoment-ias-iit-iwas-ionly-imade-iof-imana.

  Her-iopponent-iwas-isurprised-iabout-ithe-ioutcome-ias-iShirley-iwas-iable-ito-ieasily-idestroy-iher-iopponent's-imagic-ispell-ilike-iit-iwas-inothing.-iShirley-iwasn't-ifinished-iyet-iand-imade-iher-ioffensive-imove.

  She-ilifted-iher-iSonic-iGun-iand-iactivated-ithe-iimbued-imagic-ispell-ion-iit-iand-ias-ithe-iname-iimplies,-ithe-imagic-ispell-iuses-isound-ito-iattack-ithe-iopponent.-i

  "Ultrasonic-iBurst"

  This-iattack-icould-inot-ibe-ifelt-ior-iheard-ibecause-iof-iit's-ihigh-ifrequency-ibut-iit-icould-iincapacitate-ithe-ireceiver.-iAmber-ihad-ian-iheadache-iout-iof-inowhere.-iShe-ididn't-iknow-iwhat-ihit-iher-iand-ihow-ito-idefend-ithis-ikind-iof-iattack.

  Unfortunately,-ithe-iMana-iShell-iwas-ionly-icapable-iof-iblocking-iphysical-iand-imagic-iattacks-ibut-ithis-isound-iwaves-icouldn't-ibe-iblocked-iunless-ithe-iopponent-ihas-ia-imana-iartifact-ispecially-imade-ito-icounter-ithe-iattack.-iOf-icourse,-ino-ione-iwould-iexpect-ithat-isomeone-iwould-iactually-idevelop-isomething-ithis-isinister.-iInvisible-iattack-iis-ivery-imuch-idifficult-ito-idefend-iafter-iall.-i

  This-iSonic-iGun-ithat-iWilliam-ideveloped-idoesn't-ihave-istandard-imagics-ilike-iEnchant,-iPrime,-iArchon-ior-iRoyal-iSeries-iimbued-iwithin.-iIt-ionly-icontains-ithree-ioffensive-ispell,-ifirst-iis-iUltrasonic-iBurst-iand-ithe-isecond-iwould-ibe-i'Infrasonic-iRay'-iwhich-ihas-iloud,-ilow-ifrequency-isounds.-iThis-isecond-ispell-ihave-ithe-ieffects-ithat-iare-ilike-ia-i"punch-iin-ithe-iguts",-iranging-ifrom-inausea-ito-iinvoluntary-ievacuation-iof-ithe-ibowels.-iApparently,-ithese-imagic-ispells-iwasn't-iused-ito-iattack-ior-icounter-ia-imagic.-iIt-iis-icompletely-iused-ito-iattack-idirectly-ito-imagician's-ibody.

  Once-ithe-ibody-iwas-iaffected-iby-ithese-ispells,-ithey-iwon't-ibe-iable-ito-icontrol-ior-ieven-iactivate-iany-ispell.-iEven-iMana-iShell-irequires-ithe-imagician-isome-iconcentration-ito-imaintain-iit's-iactivation,-ibeing-iinfluenced-iby-ithese-ispell-iwould-icertainly-iincapacitate-iunprepared-ienemies.

  ***

  William-iwas-ibombarded-iby-iseries-iof-iquestions-iabout-ithe-imagic-ispell-ithat-iShirley-iused.-i

  Once-iAmber-ireceived-ithe-ifull-ibrunt-iof-ithe-imagic-ispell,-ithe-ibattle-ididn't-ilast-iany-ilonger.-iShe-iwas-iunable-ito-imaintain-ithe-iactivation-iof-iher-iMana-iShell-iresulting-ito-iher-iloss.

  Even-iFelicia,-ithe-iannouncer,-iwas-isurprised-iabout-ithe-ioutcome-iof-ithe-ibattle.

  "Wow,-iwhat-ia-idominating-iperformance!-iI-idon't-ieven-irecognized-iany-iof-ithe-imagic-ispell-ithat-ithe-icontestant-ifrom-iLeonhearts-iAcademy-iused."

  "That's-iright,-ieven-ithe-iMana-iArtifact-ithat-iwas-iused-iwas-iall-ioriginal.-iBased-ion-ithe-irecorded-iinformation-iwe-ireceived-ifrom-ithe-icommittee,-ithese-iartifacts-iall-ipossessed-iGrade-iA-ievaluation."

  "I-isee-ithat-iyou-ilook-iinterested-iin-ithese-iMana-iArtifact,-iClarence."

  Clarence-iis-ithe-iyoung-ititled-iBattle-iMage-ifrom-iMinistry-iof-iMagic-iEducation-ithat-iis-iaccompanying-iFelicia-ion-itheir-ipost-fight-ianalysis.-i

  "Of-icourse,-iany-imagicians-iwould-ilike-ito-ihave-ia-ipowerful-imana-iartifacts.-iI-iactually-ihope-ithat-iI'll-ihave-ia-ipiece-iof-iit."

  "Let's-iwait-iin-ithe-imarket-iif-iit's-ifor-isale-ithen."-i

  Felicia-ijoked-ias-ithey-icontinued-ichatting-iabout-ithe-iquick-ibattle-ithat-ihas-ioccurred.-iThey-ihave-ia-ibit-iof-iinformation-iabout-ithe-imana-iartifacts-iand-imagic-istructure-iused-ias-ithe-iorganizers-ineeds-ito-imake-isure-ithat-ino-iuncanny-imagic-ispell-iwas-iimbued-iin-ithe-imana-iartifact.-i

  Ross-iwas-ivery-iinterested-ion-ithis-imysterious-iartifact-ithat-ihas-ian-iinvisible-iMagic-iSpell,-ibut-ihe-ididn't-iasked-iquestions-isince-ithere-iwould-idefinitely-ibe-isomeone-iwho'll-iask-ithis-ianyway-iand-ihe-ijust-iplanned-ito-ilisten.-iAs-iexpected,-iEricka-iand-iTracy-iasked-ithe-iquestion-iat-ithe-isame-itime.

  ""What-iwas-ithat?""

  William-icouldn't-ihelp-ibut-ismile-ias-ihe-isaw-itheir-ivery-icurious-ieyes-iupon-iasking-ithe-iquestion.-iHe-igave-ithem-ia-ibrief-iexplanation-ienough-ito-isatisfy-itheir-icuriosity.-i

  "So,-ianother-isound-iwave-irelated-iattacks?-iJust-ia-ibit-idifferent-iwith-ithe-iTraceless-iOscillation-ithat-iHilda-iused."

  Ericka-iasked-iafter-iWilliam-iexplained-ithe-iSonic-iGun-iand-iUltrasonic-iBurst-ithat-iShirley-iused.-iThe-ioscillation-iwas-ia-icomplex-imagic-ispell-iaiming-ito-idestroy-iany-iobject,-ithis-iwas-ia-idifficult-ispell-isince-iit-irequires-iabundant-icalculation-iand-ieats-ia-ilot-iof-imana-ias-iwell.-iBut-ithis-iSonic-iGun-iis-imuch-isimpler-iand-iattacks-ithe-ihuman-ibody-iinstead.

  "Well,-iyou-icould-isay-ithat.-iI-icould-isee-ithat-ithe-idevelopment-iof-iMagic-iStructure-istirred-itowards-ielemental-ispell.-iBut-iMana-ican-iactually-ibe-iused-iin-ia-ilot-imore-iways-iother-ithan-ielemental-iconversion.-iAlso,-ithis-imagic-ispell-iI-ideveloped-iheavily-irelies-ion-ithe-imaterials-iI've-icollected-itoo."

  William-isaid-iwhat-ihe-ibelieve-iso.-iAlthough-ielemental-ipath-iwas-ivast-iand-ifull-iof-ipossibilities-ifor-ifurther-idevelopment,-imagic-iengineers-ishouldn't-ihave-ineglected-iother-iusage-iof-imana.-iHe-iwasn't-isure-iwhy-ithey-iinsist-ion-ifocusing-itheir-iresearch-ion-ielemental-ipath,-ithere-icould-ibe-isecrets-ihe-iwas-iunaware-iof-ibut-ihe-idoesn't-icare-iabout-iit-inow.

  As-iWilliam-isaw-iShirley-iwent-idown-ithe-istage,-ihe-inoticed-ithat-iher-ieyes-iradiates-ihappiness-ias-ishe-iachieved-iher-ifirst-ivictory.-iHe-ifelt-irelieved-iupon-iseeing-ithat-ishe-ilooks-ifine.-iHe-iwas-iactually-iworried-iif-iShirley-icould-iperfectly-iutilize-isimultaneous-iactivation-iof-imana-iartifacts.-i

  Everyone-ibelieved-ithat-iShirley-ionly-iused-itwo-imana-iartifact-iduring-ithe-ibattle.-iThe-iring-iand-ithe-igun,-ibut-ithe-inecklace-ithat-ishe-iwas-iusing-iwas-ialso-iactivated-isilently.-iIt-iwas-iused-ito-iprotect-iShirley-iherself-ifrom-ibeing-iaffected-iby-iUltrasonic-iBurst-iand-ialso-ithe-iDistortion-iWave.-iWilliam-ionly-igave-ibrief-iexplanation-iabout-ithe-iDistortion-iWave,-ibut-iit-iwas-iactually-imore-icompound-ithan-ithe-iUltrasonic-iBurst.

  Although-ishe-icould-icontrol-ithe-idirection-iof-ithe-iattack,-ishe-iwasn't-icompletely-isafe-iso-iWilliam-iused-ia-ispecial-imana-iartifact-ito-idefend-ion-ithis-iattack-ihe-ihas-ideveloped.-iHe-idid-inot-ibother-iexplaining-ithis-ifor-inow.-iSome-ipeople-iwill-icertainly-iinterview-iShirley-iand-ifull-idetails-iof-ithis-imana-iartifact-imay-ieven-ibe-irevealed-iafter-ithe-icompetition.

  ###-iChapter-i58-i--iMeetings

  After-ithe-ibattle-ibetween-iHoneysuckle-iand-iLeonhearts-iAcademy,-ivarious-imagicians-ifrom-ithe-iremaining-iMagic-iAcademies-itried-ito-ianalyse-ithe-ibattle-ithat-ihas-ioccurred.-iEveryone-iplans-ito-ibe-iprepared-iwhen-ithey-ifaced-iLeonhearts-ion-itheir-imatch.

  The-ivideo-icopy-iof-ithe-ibattle-iwas-iimmediately-ispread-iout-itowards-ithe-iso-icalled-ibattle-iexperts,-imagic-iengineers-iand-iinstructors-ito-icome-iup-iwith-ia-ibattle-iplan-iagainst-iLeonhearts.-i

  The-isaid-iacademy-ialready-iclaimed-ithe-ichampion-iin-ithe-iFirst-iYear-iDivision,-iit-iwould-ibe-itoo-imuch-iif-ithey-istill-itook-ithe-iSecond-iYear-iDivision.

  Within-ithe-imeeting-iroom-idesignated-ifor-iMystic-iGate-iAcademy,-itheir-ithird-iyears-iwere-igiving-iadvice-itowards-ithe-isecond-iyears-iabout-ithe-iprevious-ibattle-ithat-ihas-ijust-ioccurred.

  Dylan,-iArial,-iand-iSheryl-iwere-ithe-ithree-imana-itechnicians-ifor-ithe-iMystic-iGate-iand-iwas-itasked-ito-ianalyze-ithe-imana-iartifact-ithat-ithe-iopponent-iused.-i

  "There-iseems-ito-ibe-ino-imore-iHilda.-iI-imean,-ithat-iTraceless-iOscillation-ishouldn't-iappear-ianymore."

  Sheryl-isaid-icalmly.-iWhile-ieveryone-iwas-iat-ithe
-iedge-iabout-ihow-ito-iface-iShirley's-imagic-ispell,-ishe-ireminded-ieveryone-ithat-iit-iwas-istill-ibetter-ithan-ithat-ioscillation-ispell.-i

  If-ithere-iis-istill-isomeone-icapable-iof-iutilizing-ithat-ispell,-ithey-ishould've-iuse-iit-ialready-iinstead-iof-iutilizing-inew-imagic-ispell-ito-iallow-ithem-ito-iprepare-ifor-iit.-i

  "What-ido-iyou-imean-iSheryl?"

  A-ithird-iyear-istudent-iasked-iher-ito-iexplain-iit-iclearly.-i

  "As-iwhat-ieveryone-iguessed,-ithe-imagic-ispell-ibeing-iused-iseems-ito-ibe-icoming-ifrom-ia-isound-iwave-iunlike-iHilda's-ivibration.-iIt-iwas-iindeed-idifficult-ito-itake-ion-ithat-iattack-iunprepared-iand-iwe-idon't-ieven-iknow-ithe-iintensity-iof-ithe-iattack."

  "So-iwhat-ido-iyou-irecommend-ithat-iwe-ishould-ido-ito-iprepare?"

  The-isame-ithird-iyear-iasked-ithe-iquestion.

  No-ione-iwas-isuggesting-ion-iwhat-ishould-ibe-idone-ito-ibattle-iagainst-iShirley-iso-ithey-iwaited-ifor-iSheryl-ito-igive-iher-iopinion-iinstead.

  "It-iwould-ibe-itough,-ibut-ias-iyou-ican-isee,-iafter-ishe-iactivated-ithe-isonic-iattack,-iAmber-iwas-istill-iconscious-iand-ienduring-ithe-inausea-ior-idiscomfort-idue-ito-ithe-imagic-ispell.-iOnly-iwhen-ishe-ican't-iendure-ianymore-iwas-ithe-itime-ithat-ishe-ilost-icontrol-iof-ithe-imana-ishell."

  "I-isee,-iso-ithe-isonic-iattack-imaybe-iwasn't-ithat-ipowerful-ibut-iif-iyou're-inot-iprepared-iyou'll-ibe-idefeated."

  Arial-ivoiced-iout-ihis-ithought-ibut-iDylan-iadded-imore.

  "Sheryl-ialso-iadviced-ithat-iwe-iaren't-iaware-iof-iit's-iintensity-iso-iwe-ireally-iwouldn't-iknow-iif-iour-icombat-imagicians-icould-iendure-ithe-itorture-iof-ithat-ispell."

  Everyone-ilooked-iat-iKyla,-ishe-iwas-ithe-iace-iof-itheir-i2nd-iyear-iand-ipositioned-ias-ithe-i3rd-ifighter.-i

  Kyla-iwas-ionly-isilent-ias-ishe-iseems-ito-ibe-ipondering-iover-isomething.-iShe-iglanced-iat-iSheryl,-ithe-imana-itechnician-iwho-imade-i3-iartifacts-ifor-iher.